The Clash Blogger

Blogging from London UK in the name of Clash Hi-Fi, Soundclash Radio and FLEX records.
We deal Reggae, be it oldies Ska and Roots and up'front Dancehall and remixes. We also like our Jazz, Hiphop and African roots sounds.

Friday, March 31, 2006

No Mad Connexions - Festival at Cargo

Next Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th at Cargo, some original sounds emanating from france are coming through... An event we highly recommend:

Our main highlight is the french dub band ZENZILE... Already mash'it at Cargo when they came with High Tone and Peuple de l'herbe last autumn... They're behind lots of exciting dub, but produced by a live band rather than a computer guy... they've also collaborated with Irie Ites for a 10" releases featuring Turbulence, Lutan Fyah, Chediek, Ras Mc Bean... we like it! must go check it!

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Brand new on-line store: Irie Ites

Monday, March 27, 2006

E:vent Threshold - something different

Last Friday, the clash designer Jules and myself trekked east side for:

Co-ordinated by E:vent and supported by the arts council, this multi-floor galery exhibits some of the most cutting edge contempory art... Mixing graphic design, architecture and sonic exploration... This event showcases different work until April 28th. A place well-worth visiting if you have an hour to spare... It's located on 96 Teesdale street, E2 6PU. MAP. Check the website for opening days and times.

Threshold provides a platform for the exploration of contemporarysound art, and examines the areas of practice that intersect witharchitecture – the programme is looking speciﬁcally at the relationshipbetween sound and space (physical, structural, virtual, animated,performative and technological.) A conceptual thread will be setaround ideas of: threshold; topology; landscape; and borders.On the night, in the beautiful loft where many of these artists live, there was a live minimal techno set from netlabel collective. Upfront and intelligent electronic music of today freely distributed on the internet. The place was packed and we had a rocking time enjoying a vibe we don't usually deal with... Not just noise and bang bang, but a varied collection of beats and mind-opening melodies; music to have a drink to, dance to and definitely enjoy the space around you... It was a proper rave in someone's living room, I swear!. Details here

One display we particularly enjoyed was theCityscan by HFRlabs. Good news you can check an extract now by visiting the Cityscan website."The project aims to generate a visual metaphor that produces new correspondences between sound and vision. Generating an intricate layering of cityscapes that scroll and flicker on time with the music, Cityscan becomes an audio-visual pattern where the rhythm achieved is a metaphor of the rhythm of the city itself." is their description. The display involved two TVs on different settings, with city and green landscapes scrolling vertically in synchrony with some urban electro beats. It was the first thing that got us locked in...

It was also the last expo from the VTO gallery, who were resident at this venue until this closing party... One piece on show that really got us going was a flat screen displaying what seemed as an owl perched in a tree in a Tolkien-like background. If you only had 5 seconds of your time, it just looked like a digital image. But as you stayed a bit further staring at the frame, the owl began to look more and more animated, staring and nodding at your thoughts... With time, it started to look more like having the eyes of a Lion, with a mustache... and eventually, you had Father Christmas looking and frowning at you!.. must be witnessed to be felt, but definitely a interesting use of digital technologies... It was hilarious just to see people reaction in front of it!! Much of this work is going in an auction to be held soon, I'm starting to contemplate buying my first piece of "contempory art"...

Whatch out for more exciting material to be presented there as part of Threshold's residency at E:vent in April.. During April Threshold will focus on an experimentalresidency: a group of sound artists will work with students from theArchitectural Association to create a site-speciﬁc sound/architectureinstallation in E:vent Gallery. The Threshold season will come to areverberating ﬁnale with a presentation of the work produced in theresidency and a coinciding evening of live performances by renownedsound artists and musicians.

This E:vent is also accompanied by discussions on resonance fm on Thursdays 7-8pm. Next one will be feedback session on the event, on thursday 28th April.

Solution Sound System this Saturday

Many of you will know Spirit from his shop the Nutritious Food Gallery at 71 Broadway Market and most of you will probably be aware of the controversy surrounding the sell off of his premises to developers as its had coverage in both the local and national press.

Spirit recently won the right to appeal against his eviction order, his appeal hearing is due to take place on 12th April.

In order to raise funds so that he can save his home and shop Spirit invites you to:

A ROOTS REGGAE PARTYSaturday 25th March 2005

with SOLUTION SOUND SYSTEM playing Roots music OLD & NEW70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, Plenty of JA pre's, the best in UK styles, plus x-amount of dubplate and unreleased material.

Ras Echo and MC Poison pon the mics

TO BE HELD AT The Silent Whispers Musicians Club21-23 Sedgewick St, E9 (off Homerton High St, opposite the fire station)10pm - 5am

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Siren test 1-2

I got this custom built jah tubby's style siren for not too much from mattneck AT yahoo.co.uk... made in bristol

I recorded a little demo of what it could sound like... Taking into consideration i was also playing around with the effects from my brilliant little Alesis Ineko which is no longer produced in europe but a great machine.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Yes this last show before our easter break (cause we are very religious) this Wednesday's soundclash should be a pretty wild party...

in the studio we'll have Tweester Hi-FI, believe or not... They're composed of Dub Student and System Error. Simone aka Dub Student released a roots 7' feat. Tena Stelin his own Dub Terror and is also behind some prod and some dubs on the Heartical label. He's in for live set from his laptop... should be heavy!! Tasos aka System Error is cooking some album with Horace Andy and Mikal Rose amongst others, so you're bound to hear his stuff live on soundclash and in the future...

Plus, as if this wasn't enough, we have Inyaki, Melodica and more with Basque Dub Foundation. Some roots killer coming from this man so watch out in case he drags out some tunes or his melodica...

ON the mic, two legendary voices of UK reggae, TENA STELIN and BROTHER CULTURE should make this show a total blast!!!

N.B. Tweester Hi-Fi at SCANDAL BAG THIS THURSDAY..Along side Heatwave at Gramaphone . a good occasion to check this bar out and perhaps open to the downstairs speaker department...It's 60 Commercial Street E1 6LT. tube aldgate east.

march newsletter

Monday, March 20, 2006

Steve Barrow on Bob Marley's legacy

Have a read at this concise article written by Steve Barrow, reggae "expert", in the independent. It's about the what's happened with what Bob Marley created and generated... band members, children and producers are mentionned.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Nick Manasseh on the air

On wednesday it's a great pleasure to welcome Nick Manasseh, uk roots reggae producer, selector and sound man in the studio. He'll be selecting most tunes and present the show with us. Brother Culture will also be there. killer reggae session in anticipation...

Saturday, March 11, 2006

70S dancehall style video

Here is the link to a video featuring 70s dancehall singjay Josey Wales and Junjo Lawes. First dem record tings at the legendary Channel One studio, and then at a dance. Not great resolution video but great footage of a legendary style and fashion era...

Friday, March 10, 2006

Heatwave feat. Blak Twang - fyah pon London Friday 17 March

Two rooms of of culo-shaking Caribbean madness from Jamaica to Puerto Rico and Trinidad to Panama, plus live dancehall PAs from top class hip hop and grime artists: this month it’s the turn of UK hip hop superstar Blak Twang.

One of the godfathers of UK hip hop, Blak Twang has over ten years of experience and a bunch of British hip hop anthems like So Rotton and Red Letters under his belt. Blak Twang’s appearance at Heatwave will show a different side to this versatile artist, with the emphasis of his set on classic reggae/dancehall riddims. Expect some favourite tunes as well as something a little way different as Blak Twang proves why his live show is one of the hottest tickets around.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

100% Dynamite! in PARIS

Yes I we are coming down to paris once again with Soul Jazz. This time better than ever, on one of the best sound systems in the capital... Le Nouveau Casino... Brother Culture will be longside us as we light up the place...

On the menu tonight, A peak at two killer compilations by the strong going Soul Jazz Records: Sound Dimension - Studio One Soul Shake vol 1 and Studio One Soul 2. Also some from the to be release Leroy Smart Album on Makasound...

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

PAMA international

PAMA international is a top ranking reggae/dub UK band. As they put it, they play 'dub fuelled ska and rocksteady. It's really a sound we like as it a nice combination of old school composition with upfront production.

Their all star line up of musicians from the late Specials and Madness bands, have released three acclaimed albums and are working on a new one at the moment.

PAMA are playing THIS THURSDAY at Cargo in London. Later in Bangor, Cardiff and Brighton.

Click on their album covers to link to their website for free MP3 downloads and more infos about the band.